Dark Shadows
by Shirahoshi
Summary: Ichigo Kurosaki, next head-to-be of his ancient clan. In love with anybody else, but Orihime Inoue, a jealous witch, who cursed him to be a monster forever. Now, three centuries later Kuchiki Rukia has no idea what happened hundreds of years before, when she agreed to be a babysitter. AU
1. Chapter 1

Salty water was crashing against the cliffs again and again, in an endless dance. Wind blew fiercely through the woods, chasing the fallen leaves. Thunder rumbled somewhere far away.

Most of the sane people would have been asleep, but at least indoors at this time.

Unlike the two - a boy around seventeen to twenty and a girl, probably sixteen or seventeen.

"What the hell have you done to me?" he shouted angrily and meanwhile afraid. The girl smiled down at him pleasantly.

"You'll find it out soon enough, Kurosaki-kun. It should take effect within a minute or so."

The moon disappeared behind the clouds of the upcoming storm. Ichigo's eyes started itching like hell, as something began to flow out of it.

He quickly wiped it off with the back of his hand. It wa blood and some kind of strange liquid that hardened on his hands. He barely could resist the urge to scream as pain jolted through his whole body, starting from his chest. He glared down in terror.

His shirt was also covered in blood.

Something filled his mouth, so he tried to spit it out. As soon as he opened his mouth the thing inside started to flow out, but instead of falling down it started to practically fly around his head, blocking his view.

He fell to the ground, rolling around in pain, and desperately trying to remove the rapidly hardening liquid from his face.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. It won't stop otherways."

"Go... To... Hell!" He growled. His voice, he found out, now sounded like if two people were talking at the exact same minute. He was still trying to remove the liquid from his face, only to howl in pain as something cut his face. Through the holes he could see what - his own fingernails that has turned into strange claw-like things.

"Now, is that a way to talk to a lady, Kurosaki-kun? Although you've always lacked manners." asked the girl.

"Inoueeeehh..."

"Hurts, isn't it? At least you know how much did it hurt to me, when you turned me down. For that Kuchiki girl. She..." She stopped speaking as a hand found it's way to her throat. Claws cut into the soft skin, but she only smiled.

"You can't kill me."

"What makes you so sure about that?" whispered the young male in a dangerously low voice. The once brown eyes now were somewhere between yellow and gold, surrounded by black sclera.

"Others tried to kill me several times already. And I'm still here, am I not?" Yellow light flashed and severed the boy's hand from his arm. He fell back to the ground and glared at his reforming hand in horror.

"Strange. High-speed regeneration. I didn't know you'd be that type. Extra power would suit you more. Well, I guess, you already have more power that many of them does." She stood up. "Good luck, Kurosaki-kun. One advice - get indoors before the sun rises."

Orihime turned, but immediately stopped.

"Oh, yeah, I've almost forgot - your dinner. The appetite of the newly transformed is fascinating, as long as I know. We do not want you to make a carnage in the village, do we not?"

She snapped with her fingers, and a shocked young man appeared suddenly.

"Inoue-san? What..."

"Shhh, Hanatarou." She put a finger onto the girly looking male's lips. "We want to make his first hunt exciting, don't we?"

"Who... Whose first hunt?" Orihime turned, so Hanatarou would be able to see the now unmoving body behind her. Poor boy's eyes widened at the sight of the grinning, horned mask and the spikes that stood out of the thing's shoulders.

"I think, you should run. He's not awake at the moment, but he'll be in a few minutes."

She did not need to say twice. Hanatarou turned on his heels and rushed towards the trees. Orihime shot a last look at the "newborn" creature before disappearing in a golden glow.

Ichigo was sitting next to the poor boy's fresh corpse, feeling about to cry.

But he won't. That was one of the many few things he was grateful to his father for teaching him.

He cannot show weakness.

Hanatarou was one of the very selected five he'd really trust with his own life. Although he was a servant he wasn't polite because he had to be, but because he wanted to be.

He also did not look him down for having strange coloured hair. He knew well, that other servants did. They never said it into his eyes of course, as they knew well that he had a brutal kick. Which he wasn't afraid to use if someone offended his friends, family or hair.

They also talked a lot about Hanatarou's village - somewhere up in the mountains - which he promised to visit.

He won't be able to do that now. Not in the state he is now.

He knew well what did that witch transformed him into - a Hollow. A special type of vampires. They also drink blood, but not for the same reason as the latter species, but for the soulfragments in it.

Hanatarou's blood was pretty rich in it. It tasted quite good.

He mentally slapped himself. He can't think like that!

Something glowed with a reddish colour behind the mountains. Probably the sun.

The sun?

"Shit," he hissed as he jumped up and started running at a speed he didn't knew he was capable of.

.,s.,.s.,dgg..-ag

Thanks to some luck, that wasn't with him the previous evening, he managed to get inside his house and into his room without being noticed by anybody. He pulled the curtains together tightly, so that they wouldn't let the light of the sun in. He hissed as meanwhile the project a stray beam of the sun fell onto his arm and left a slightly burned mark on his now snow-white skin.

He sighed as he fell down onto his bed.

What is he going to do now? He cannot stay in there forever. But... He did not want to leave his family, either.

He cursed silently. The air did not move well inside the mask. If he would have been a common vampire, he would not have to worry about things like this... But no, that... Girl had to transform him into a hollow that has to feed on those damned 24/7 energy particles to keep up themselves.

Somebody knocked on the door.

"Ichigo-sama? Ichigo-sama, are you awake?"

"Ummm... Yeah?"

"Is everything all right? Your voice sounds... Strange."

"I feel kind of ill."

"Should I call the doctor?"

"Oh, no.. Just let me rest."

"O... Okay, Master."

The servant left.

First, somehow he has to remove this stupid mask. He knew that some Hollows have a way to do it, but he wasn't sure how. Probably...

He grabbed the very side of his mask and started to pull it. And also let go of it in the very same second.

It hurt like hell.

Not as much as the transformation, but it still did.

He took a deep breath before starting the procedure again.

He gritted his teeth. The mask didn't move a millimeter. Frustrated, he started banging his head against his door, then grabbed his mask's horns, trying to tear it apart from his face that way. Suddenly something cracked loudly - he glared at the piece of the bone-like thing in his palm.

And then his head felt much lighter.

He looked into the mirror. It showed his face, his own brown eyes. The only thing that remained was the impossibly pale skin of his.

Well, it's better than nothing. He laid back into his bed. Suddenly he realised how tired he really is - it did not take even a minute and he was fast asleep.

He woke up to a strange noise.

People yelling outside. He pulled the curtains apart and looked out. It was already late evening. But what shocked him was that under his window there must have been the whole population of the nearby city. The light of the torches made the trees glow red.

"Get your ass out here, you beast!" somebody yelled. Ichigo's eyes narrowed as he saw Inoue on the front, standing completely silent, but as if she'd be the core of the whole thing.

"Kurosaki-sama!" somebody knocked on the door - or rather, banged on the door - repeatedly. He opened it. It was the butler. At first the man took a step back, as he glared down at him, eyes sparkling, but finally recovered. He did not seem to care about his brand new, snow white complexion.

"Kurosaki-sama... There are people outside."

"I've noticed."

"They say that you've murdered people from the town. I've kept telling them that it is not possible as I have the keys, the doors are locked from sunset till sunrise, and the only night when you've been out was the last one, but they do not believe me. They say that master is a... Vampire.

"You know what, Rikichi? Go out at the back door and live your life until you can. There is a box full of money under the last stair there. Take it with you."

"Kurosaki-sama..."

"I said go!" Ichigo turned his face away, feeling itching sensation on his face. He was sure that his eyes started to turn back into black and yellow.

"Yes, Kurosaki-sama..."

He listened to the butler's fading steps. A few people started beating the door with their fists, and fell back as Ichigo practically kicked them out. (The doors were four meters tall, with iron decorating elements.)

"I would like to know the meaning of this," he asked in an icy tone.

"We do not have to explains ourselves to you, monster!" yelled a woman.

"You're on _my _territory, trying to break into _my _house. I think I've got every right to..."

"You do not have right to do anything anymore, murderer! You were the one who killed Hanatarou, weren't you? Since how long were you praying on us?"

Ichigo did not answer.

"Get him," said Orihime.

The young man's insicts told him to flee, to run away from the angry crowd, whose goals melted into one - to get revenge on him.

And that's why he didn't. Because he deserved it. Something crashed into his skull, and saw no more.

-.d-.d-.s-.s-.s

He opened his eyes to darkness. Not a ray of light. He blinked. Did he go blind?

Then he realised that he was shaking, as if he was in a chariot. He tried to push his hands out, but something made it impossible.

He was closed into a box. From the touch of it, it must've been a coffin, made of metal or something like that.

Panic took over him, like never before. He is not dead! Well.. Not exactly, but he still breaths, he still feels!

"Let me out!" he roared and started banging the top of the coffin with his hands, which were held tightly together by a rope. "Did you hear me? Let me OUT!"

"Shut yer mouth, beast!" yelled somebody and something banged against the metal, making the young male hear nothing for a second or so. But he didn't give up.

Something landed on the coffin with a soft _thump_. And then another. And another.

Ichigo's eyes widened. They started to bury him!

"Stop that! Let me out!"

"And let's hope that his soul, that had lost in the darkness, may find peace..." He heard somebody's voice. What? They didn't knew the first thing about vampires and hollows? He gave a furious scream, but choked on something that started flowing out of his mouth.

The mask was reforming.

The villagers shuddered at the howl that slowly started to turn into from that of a human's into an animals, full of anger and the will to kill. They could hear it clearly, even if their ex-Lord was buried four meters down.

"And so let it be," said the priest of the village.

"So let it be," they echoed.

-.-.-.-.-

Kuchiki Rukia looked out to the scenery flashing by. She liked nature and at the place where she's going, she'll have plenty of chances to be outside, unlike her former job let her be.

She smiled as she looked at the two girls around the age of ten in the photo. Her next employer, Kurosaki Isshin sent the picture, along with many others. He seemed to be a kind man. There were a few where a bright haired boy could be seen, too - but he was missing from the newer ones. Well, that's none of her concern, right?

She sighed as the train started to slow down.

"Annd, here we go."

_I'm not sure whether I'll continue it... *sigh* Because now that I had seen the film, I would need to try my hardest not to copy it. (Basically.) Probably yes. After I've finished Deathaura... But I have the first two and the last chapters... And have a kind of author's block with the remaining two... xD_


	2. Chapter 2

_*Thump*_

Dryness.

*_Thump_*

Fire burning.

*_Thump_*

Fire burning... In his throat. Not as... _Vividly _as it did before, but it still was there.

*_Boss, we've found something!_*

How long has he been locked in here? He had lost count of the days after three years...

*_What the heck is it?_*

Great. Now he's even imagining things.

*_Dunno.__ Looks like a coffin.__*_

No, this wasn't his imagination. Something was up there...

*_Bring something to cut these with._*

*_Are you sure?_*

The fire burnt with renewed energy. His eyes focused onto a weak and thin ray of light that might've appeared while he was asleep.

*_What can be in there? A skeleton, in worst case._*

Something moved above him. A strange noise of metal breaking could be heard.

*_Open it up._*

*_But..._*

The poor employee didn't have to move - the coffin seemed to practically blow up, as the top flew down from it. The boss gasped.

"What the bloody hell..." A... Thing was standing in the metal box. Probably a human, but his instincts told him that it was anything but that.

"Bloody hell?" turned the thing's head towards his boss. Well, at least the mask it wore did. It's voice was raspy, as if it hadn't been talking for a while, and was definitely that of a male's. It looked down at it's somewhat ragged clothing. "Ah... I see. Sorry 'bout that. Didn't have the change to change my clothes for some years. And the other thing I couldn't do..."

It suddenly disappeared accompanied by static voices, only to reappear behind the boss. It grabbed the man's neck and lifted him from the ground. It leaned closer to him. "Believe me, it'll hurt me more than you."

Jack - for that was the name of the employee - didn't wait till it finished; he turned and run for his life. But he didn't get too far away when something suddenly grabbed him by his collar.

"And where do you think you are going?"

-n-e-w-..-w-e-n-..!

Ichigo sighed, as he jumped through a line of bushes. He luckily got rid of the mask once again and his stomach - or whatever was the thing that "dealt" with the blood and consumed soul particles - was filled. For the time being.

Good thing was - he recognised the forest. He had been exploring it many times in his human life - and even if a few things changed, not all of it.

But now that he had been freed from his underground prison, where will he go?

There was only one thing he could think of.

Home.

-n-e-w-..-w-e-n-..!

"Look at that guy. What do you think, is he cosplaying?"

"Nah, don't think so. Probably only another weirdo. Although cosplayers are a kind of weirdos too."

The two girls walked past him, giggling and shooting glances at his clothing and unkept hair that brushed past his waist.

Well, it's not like he had a chance to cut his hair in that forsaken coffin.

He sighed as he looked into the glass of... Well, probably a shop, but it was the strangest kind he had ever seen. It was black and pink with and... Had some sort of strange clothing behind the glass on a doll. And it was holding a whip.

He'd rather not think about what that might be used for.

He shook as the strange carriage practically flew past him, giving out a kind of strange noise, which must be loud even if somebody's hearing isn't as sensitive as his. A few boys around his age - rather, his age before his death - laughed and pointed at him. One of them shouted something but, he must have been very drunk, for it sounded like "yaaeeh mighise'd di charaneee'alu".

Goodness be gracious... How will he find the way back to his home? If the house is still standing, that is. It was clear as day that he had been buried for quite a time.

"Hey, dear?" He looked down. It was a thin and old lady, holding the hand of a white haired kid. "Is everything all right? You look pale and about to faint."

_No, gee, everything is all right. Other than missing out the last century, or centuries. And being a blood-thirsty monster. And having a tendency to burn to crisps in sunlight. Nope, there is nothing wrong at all._

Okay, that wouldn't be the best things to say after somebody talked to him politely. He forced himself to smile.

"Well... You could say that I'm lost a bit. Could you tell me which way I have to go to get to the Kurosaki residence?"

"The Kurosaki residence? If you're looking for that place, you're going just in the wrong way. You should go back, take the first turn on the right, cross the bridge, and then there will be a small road to the house. But why do you want to go there?"

"Just... Curiosity? Thank you." Ichigo turned, but realised that he still did not know one extremely important thing. "Umm... Could you tell me which year it is?"

The kid gave him a strange look.

"2002." he said. The Hollow's eyes widened, feeling about to faint.

"2002?"

"Yeah. If last year was 2001 then this year is supposed to be 2002, right?"

"Now, Shiro, don't be like that. See you around, dear."

The old-young male watched them as they slowly disappeared in the crowd.

-n-e-w-..-w-e-n-..!

"Young Mistress Karin, you mustn't walk around like that at night!" yelled the woman. "You'll dirty your clothes!" She shrugged.

"So what? It's not like you care either way."

"I _do_ care!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," she said, rolling her eyes, grabbing the lowest branch of a tree and pulling herself up. She was sure that a few more seconds and the woman who was better known as "the maid" would faint.

She so did not care about it.

Something orange flashed in front of the gates. She frowned as she climbed up with one more branch.

If she wouldn't have been holding onto the tree tight, she sure would have fallen down.

What was _he _doing here?

She paled. The existence of ghosts or zombies suddenly seemed very real to her.

But something was off.

The way he walked was with such... Predatorish elegance that her brother never had. Neither did he have waist-length hair, even if the colour was correct.

He was slowly coming up on the garden path, close enough that if he'd look up, he'd have seen her. But he did not.

The Maid was gone by that time. Probably back in the safe castle-like house.

Well, whether he was her brother or not, it doesn't matter - he had nothing to do there at this hour. _Yeah, like you do?_ asked a small voice in the back of her mind.

She jumped.

-n-e-w-..-w-e-n-..!

The world crashed onto Ichigo, or so he thought as the nighttime sky suddenly disappeared from his view and he found himself lying on the ground, one arm twisted behind his back.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" The voice was that of a young girl's, which was familiar for some reason.

"My name is Kurosaki Ichigo and..." The grip tightened on his hand, and he hissed his pain. Either he was wrong about the Hollow's feeling less physical pain, or the girl was much, _much _stronger than a normal human being. True enough, that witch didn't really give him time to test his newfound powers.

"Stop lying. Even if you greatly resemble him, you..."

"I do not lie! That is my name! And that _hurts_!"

"It is supposed to, moron. Once again, you cannot be him - he wouldn't be stupid enough to waltz in here in the middle of the night, second, he died half a year ago."

Wait, what? Another Kurosaki Ichigo?

"Listen, let go of me first, and then we can talk, ok?"

"I'd rather not," said the girl. The male sighed, as he suddenly stood up. Even if she was strong, she was still a young girl, not weighing more than thirty kilos at most.

"Hey!" yelled the young female. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I should be asking the... Karin?"

The black haired girl scowled.

"Yep, that's my name. How do you know it? Dad does not go around talking everyone about me..."

"Wait, wait, wait... How is this possible?"

"How is what possible?"

"But you're supposed to be dead!"

"And I'm alive? What a shock...By the way, I do not have the slightest idea what you're talking about."

"Okay, so... You're a Kurosaki, aren't you?"

"Great logic. If I live here and I do not wear the clothes of a servant, I'm more than possibly a Kurosaki." The male wasn't really listening to her.

"After that witch cursed me, I've been in that coffin for three hundred years which means that... Oh that holy pile of..." He leaned against the tree. Time was slowly catching up with him.

"Witch? Three hundred years in a coffin? Are you on drugs?"

"Drugs? What's that?"

"The thing you've been possibly taking? Although you don't show the usual signs..."

The rest was lost to Ichigo. He knew that his family is supposed to be dead, but the perfect copy of his sister popping out of nowhere, with the same name... And she was talking about her brother...

History repeats itself. That is the most logical answer. But this kind of repeation...

"Are you even listening?"

"Sorry?"

"Oh, dear god..." She sighed. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Which one?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Ohh... That. Well. I'll tell you, but only if you promise to believe me and stay silent while I'm talking."

The girl nodded, waiting for his explanation.

"I'm not human. I'm a Hollow."

"That's the biggest..." He raised his hand.

"Is my memory might deceive me, or you promised something about staying silent? Good. Now..."

And he told her everything.

Through the centuries one thing not changed - he trusted his family, even if they were only distantly related...

-n-e-w-..-w-e-n-..!

"So. You say that you were born about three hundred years ago..."

"Yes."

"Your father's name was Isshin, your mother's was Masaki and you had twin sisters, Yuzu and Karin."

"Yes."

"You lived happily until a witch, did not turn you into a Hollow, a monster that like Vampires, feeds on human blood, or rather the spirit particles it contains. And then you woke up today, and came here."

"Exactly."

"When did you escape from the madhouse once again?" The Ichigo-look-alike sighed.

"Why can't you just believe me?"

"For one, I've never ever seen anything like Vampires, Hollows, Werewolves and such. Two, I always need an evidence to believe anything. Three, do you have any idea how ridiculous your story sounds?"

The male moved - she didn't even have time to react. She grabbed the hands that were now holding her against the tree, even if not tightly. She looked into his eyes - his quite inhuman eyes.

The used-to-be white and now were black and golden.

"Okay. You can let go of me now. That's pretty convincing. For that you are a Hollow part."

"Great." He moved back. She crossed her arms.

"But I still don't believe the first part of your story."

"I think you'll believe to your eyes." She gave him a funny look.

"What, you hollows have some kind of mind trick or technique?"

"No, but humans do have a thing called family-tree."

-n-e-w-..-w-e-n-..!

"Karin? Karin, my dear daughter, where were you? The Maid came back and she did not say a word... We worried ourselves to death!"

"You seem to be pretty much alive now," she said. "Where are the flashlights?"

"On the second floor in the drawer by the window that looks at the forest. Why do you need them? Aren't you coming to have dinner?"

"No. And isn't past midnight is a little bit late for dinner?"

"Come ooon, Yuzu cooked your favourite!" sang the sentence the black-haired man.

"I said no! Get lost!"

"Ahh, Masaki, my beloved..."

"Continue that sentence and not only your soul will be hurt," threatened her dad the girl. She knew his monologues to her late mother by heart. She sighed as she took her way back to... The other _Ichigo_. A three-hundred years old Ichigo, who shared on her family's blood. Mostly. Who was a great-great-great-and-more-greats uncle of hers. Sort of.

She was sure that a headache was coming.

"Karin-chan? Aren't you coming to dinner?" looked out Yuzu from the dining room.

"No, sorry. Could you put some away for me?" Her sister smile. Not a true smile, she didn't smile for real since the death of their mother and brother, but a smile nonetheless.

"Of course."

"Thanks."

"Did you find what you were looking for?" asked a voice on her left as soon as she stepped outside.

"Gosh! Don't scare me like that! And yes, I did." She lifted the flashlight.

"What is that?"

"A flashlight."

"Flashlight? Can I take a look at it." She sighed.

"Sure."

"How does it work?"

"Press the button."

"What kind of magic is this?" asked the male, startled. "It has the light of at least five torches, but there is no fire."

"It is no magic. Only the world evolved since you've last been here. And would you stop doing that?"

"Ahh... Sorry... It's just really fascinating."

"Great." She snatched the device from his hand before he could restart his turning on-turning off game. "Then, which way is it?"

"Follow me."

-n-e-w-..-w-e-n-..!

"You wanted to show me the Sword's Room? I've been there before, you know," said Karin, somewhat annoyed. She was usually in her soft bed sleeping, by this time. The male shook his head.

"No, but I wanted to check something first."

"Harugetsu, Kurogetsu, Shiragetsu, Ryuugetsu, Mangetsu... What's up with this family and the moons?" wondered the girl trailing between the lines after the Hollow.

"According to an ancient family legend, we are the descendant of the Princess of the Moon. Therefore the clan leaders always give a name to their sword that contains the word "moon"."

"That's stupid."

"It's a tradition."

"Well, a stupid tradition." The orangehead smiled.

"You know, my sister thought the same think. But apparently she decided to go along with it."

"Netsuretsuna Akigetsu," read the girl the sword's name. It was rather elegant, and yet had some brutal, vibrating sense of strength to it. "So what? I've seen it countless times. Especially since I was the one who had to clear and polish it usually."

"As I said, we're here because of me, not you. And that's not what I wanted to see."

"Then?" He grinned as he pointed at the one above it.

A sword of pure black. Zangetsu.

Karin shuddered. She never liked that particular sword. It always seemed to be just insanely powerful, like she'd break just from touching it and... Had some dark power lingering around it. She looked at her ancient relative - his eyes were shining with the happiness of reunion.

"You gotta be kidding," she whispered. "That was your sword?"

"Correction - this _is_ my sword." He slowly run his fingers along the line of the blade, up to the handle, and grabbed it so carefully, as if he was holding something delicate.

"Okay, this creeps me out."

"It does? Sorry. It's just that the leaders always have a strong relationship with their swords. Mostly because they chose the materials. All of them. If the sword is weak, it'll be their fault, and not the swordsmith's. They also give the finishing touches to the sword. And then..."

"I got it, I got it, the head of the clan and his sword's relationship is unique. Now I understand that dad why practically sleeps with his sword."

"So they're still doing it?"

"Yeah. It's name is Engetsu. But my grandpa pushed it even further - before he met my grandma he wanted to marry his sword."

"Well, there have always been and always will be weirdos."

"You're the one to speak."

"Hey! I'm not weird!"

"Sure you aren't. So what did you want to show me?" Ichigo slapped his forehead.

"Oh, yeah, right." He walked down between even ancient looking swords and stopped in front of a massive stone wall.

"Well.. This seems to be interesting," said Karin sarcastically. The male ran his hand over its surface, then suddenly froze. With his other hand he took something that looked like a pendant down from his neck and pressed it against the wall.

The girl had to grab a stand as the movement of the wall caused a minor tremor. She gaped.

"What the hell is this?"

"Well, not exactly hell, much more an..."

"Shut it. Nobody had the slightest idea that something like this would be here."

"No wonder. The key had been with me all this time. And what we're looking for iiiis... That way."

"What are we looking for?"

"I told you. A family tree. And here it is," he said as he pulled a rolled up parchment from a dusty stock. "Here you go. At the very bottom."

It was there, all right. The name of Kurosaki Isshin and Tomoe Masaki... And the name of their three children.

Kurosaki Ichigo, Karin and Yuzu.

"This is impossible."

"Not really," shook his head the male. "Think about it. They're already dead. Their souls might have reincarnated as you, and the rest of the family. That'd explain why you look like her, and why do you have the same names, so..."

"But you're not dead! So my brother..."

"Technically I _am_ dead."

"But you're still here!"

"Yeah, so?"

"So if everyone is reincarnated and looks like their past lives, why did my brother look like you?"

"Ahh... I have two ideas, but I don't really like either of them." She arched her eyebrows in curiosity.

"And what would those be?"

"Well..." he was silent for a moment, "One, my soul got bored while the body was sleeping, so decided to go on a little adventure... It'd also explain why did I wake up only now. Two, I don't have a soul anymore, which would explain why Hollows are Hollows."

"Do you feel regret?" asked suddenly the girl.

"'xcuse me, what?"

"Do you feel regret? I mean, if what I know about Vampires, Hollows and such are right, you have to kill in order to stay alive... Mostly alive, anyways. If you do, I do not think you don't have a soul anymore."

Ichigo smiled slightly.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Now we have to think of a way to persuade my father to let you stay here..."

"What makes you think I want to stay here?"

"You did all to make me believe you, because you don't want to stay here? That'd be just plain stupid."

"Touché."

_Uploaded faster than I thought. And I have yet to finish Deathaura. Oooo, my goodness. I break even those promises that I made for myself!_

_The name of Karin's sword, Netsuretsuna Akigetsu - Netsuretsuna stands for "ardent" or "burning, fiery" if google translator is correct, but I highly doubt that. But I was in need of a name, got that? xD Akigetsu (I think literally) means "autumn moon". There might be problems with this name that I do not know about, but I have to go with a "whatever" now._

_I know that Ichigo is not as surprised as Barnabas of this "new era" but (I think) he has a better ability to adapt to things. Or rather, he just doesn't care that much about them. I think both he and Karin were a bit OOC sometimes... Mostly, but please, bear with it._

_About why the two Ichigos look alike - it's his first idead that is correct. (I've read somewhere that our souls might go on a little journey while we are asleep, or something like that, so... That's where the idea comes from.)_

_Thank you for all of those who have already reviewed, faved or are following this story!_


	3. Chapter 3

The forest was impossibly green, a darker shade of jade. Rukia watched as the train disappeared between the trees as a long and thick metallic snake.

Inside the station building it was nice and cool, although vandals clearly worked on the walls. It was kind of hard to miss the line of obscene words painted with red onto the originally snow-white wall. She looked at the clock on the wall - it read ten to one o'clock.

In that case she still has ten minutes.

_13:10_

They must've gotten into a traffic jam.

_13:45_

A bad traffic jam.

_14:30_

A really really bad traffic jam. Rukia sharpened her pencils (again) trying to remain calm.

Unsucessfully.

_15:00_

Okay, now she was officially panicking.

Should she call them?

Oh wait; her phone was stolen on the train. Great. Just great.

She suddenly realised how alone she was - without any connection, mobile or anything else, and the workers of the station seemed to have disappeard as well.

"Miss Kuchiki?"

Rukia jumped, her sketchbook falling from her lap. She turned - it was a dirty blonde man, with a striped hat hiding his eyes.

"I'm sorry to startle you so much. My name is Urahara Kisuke, one of the best friends of Kurosaki Isshin, and caretaker of the Kurosaki household. Nice to meet you."

"Why didn't Mister Kurosaki come?"

"He got an urgent call, so he trusted me with picking you. Then on my way here I got into a traffic jam; I tried to call you, but failed, but some young mister took the phone and said words that must not be repeated ever again. Shall we go?"

"Ah, yeah. Sorry."

"It's fine. I'm sure that you'll come to like this place quite quickly."

**-a-a-ddd-a-da-**

"No."

"Your hair is reaching below your waist. Do not tell me that it doesn't bother you," hissed Karin, the sciccors glinting dangerously in the light of the candles.

She decided to help him to find out how this world worked, and get back into his family (well, sort of); but she refused to do so until he didn't look acceptable at the very least.

"Of course it does. But I'm not letting you near me with that," he said, pointing at the sciccors.

"Oh, come on, I'm not going to cut your neck."

"You've come quite close to break it."

"I thought you were a terapasser!"

"Still no."

Karin haven't answered, but moved; a moment later she was gripping thick orange mane, and cut it with two moves, receiving a startled yell from Ichigo. She grinned.

"Now, it wasn't that bad, was it? Although it needs to be..."

"Are you crazy? You could've killed me, would have I moved in the wrong way!"

"You're already dead," she said as a matter-of-fact. "Now, come 'ere. I'm not going to do you any harm."

"Say that to my neck!"

"Stop being such a wimp! I don't know how can you be so similiar to my brother, yet whine about things like this!"

"You would too, if somebody would act like a madman as soon as he gets a sciccors in her hands!"

"Oh boy..." growled the girl, rolling her eyes. Persuading him was almost like persuading a rock.

And making him appear human was the easy task; not at all comparable to the fight that was awaiting them when she'll introduce him to the family. Now _that _will be hard.

Or not. Isshin usually more than keen on believing even the craziest stories. Sometimes she had to wonder whether it was a blessing or a curse to have such a father.

"Ok, listen," she said, "let's make a deal. I cut your hair and if we actually succeed, then we'll sneak the sword into your room somehow."

"Not a sword! Zangetsu!"

"That's its name. It's a sword nonethless."

"Not "its"! His!" She raised the sciccors.

"Continue this, and I _will_ cut your throat. It's a promise."

**-a-a-ddd-a-da-**

"So, this is the garden, little Yuzu's favourite place. She likes to work here," explained Urahara as they were walking towards the house. "And that's Karin's tree. Not actually, but she likes to hide between the branches scaring the maids, when she's not training."

"Training?"

"Football. Or soccer, depending on your preference."

"Sounds like an active child," said Rukia. Urahara smiled. "Oh, she is. She also took martial arts, but she had to quit because she broke another girl's leg, for calling her names. Ah, there is the glass house. Unfortunately the weather left its marks on it, but... There is the fountain. Aaand finally the house. Fifteen rooms, fireplace in each, although they also have electrical heating. Three diners, one for the family, but the teacher of the children - meaning you - also eats with them; one for the (személyzet) and one in case there are guests."

"It's stunning," breathed the woman as they stepped into the welcoming hall. And indeed it was - great oaken staircase leaded to the upper levels, marble statues standing guard on each side. The chandelier that was supposed to light the hall was full of spiderweb, but not even that could make its beauty appear fainter.

Urahara smiled.

"Oh, indeed it is. But you see, after a time we forget it. We grow to used to it. If you wish to go to the diner, then it's right at the end of this corridor. Come, I'll show you your room. Hey, Miss Karin, where are you going?"

Rukia looked at the black haired girl, who seemingly wished to go unnoticed (judging by her fierce scowl), gripping tightly a big bunch of orange... Something.

"None of your business Urahara."

"Until your father is away, everything is my business."

"Glad to hear that, but sorry, I've got work to do."

"Hey, hey, where are you going so fast?" the blonde said, catching her by the arm. "You have yet to welcome your new teacher."

_Not for long, if it depends on me,_ her eyes seemed to say.

"I don't have to," said the girl, "She is here, because dad pays her. Basically, she's only slightly better than a kitchenmaid."

Well, if it was a declaration of war, so be it.

"Karin!" boomed a voice. They all turned, startled; a huge, black haired man was standing in the doorway.

Daddy returned home. "What did I tell you about this?"

"You know she..." Her father was having none of it.

"_Karin_... Apologise. Now."

"I'm sorry," mumbled the girl, before leaving towards the dining room. Isshin sighed.

"I must apologise on my daughter's behalf. She can be a handful sometimes. I hope that doesn't scare you away."

"Not a chance. Kuchiki Rukia," she said offering her hand. The man took it.

"Kurosaki Isshin. I see Urahara was showing you around. Have you seen your room yet?"

"Not really. Miss Karin kept us occupied."

"I see. Then I won't keep you any longer; I believe your day wasn't more pleasant than mine. We will meet at dinner and after that talk everything over once again in person."

"That'd be great."

"Well, then..." The big man bid farewell, and went on his way.

**-a-a-ddd-a-da-**

**Yeah, only this much for now. Sorry, but it was a hard chapter to make - mostly due to the length of the break I took from Bleach fanfictions... Or mostly, only Bleach fanfictions. And my laziness. And uncreativeness. And school. Lack of creativity... (List goes on.)**

**Yup, Rukia and Ichigo have yet to meet. If my hopes come true, that'll change in the next chapter. It was really only about how Rukia got to the house, introduction Urahara, and some more (sibling) fight between Karin and Ichigo. (It will be checked I hope sooner than later. But for now, I just want it up. ;) )**


End file.
